XPost: alt.usage.english   
   From: occam@nowhere.nix   
      
   On 01/07/2024 07:56, Hibou wrote:   
   > Le 01/07/2024 à 04:44, HenHanna a écrit :   
   >>   
   >> A pair of pants,    or    A pair of trousers   
   >>   
   >>                   ... ok because each Pair kinda looks   
   like  [2 pipes].   
   >>   
   >>     ...but...   
   >>               "a Pair of Panties" ?????   
   >   
   > There appears to be a class of things that exist only in the plural - a   
   > pair of tweezers, scissors, pliers, sunglasses... trousers, underpants,   
   > knickers, tights... - things that bifurcate or are made up of two bits.   
   > I suppose the briefer garments inherited the plural from longer ones   
   > (though a few minutes' searching yields no support for this; briefs were   
   > apparently in use in Ancient Egypt).   
   >   
   > I observe that the kilt is singular - two legs, but only one hole.   
   >   
      
   While in Aberdeen, the question arose: "what's the difference between a   
   kilt and a skirt? What do Scottish women wear?"   
      
   The wittiest answer I got was that Scotsmen call it a 'kilt' to avoid   
   the embarrassment of having to admit that they are wearing a skirt.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)